Patton's Plan For Winning The War

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By Newsweek Editors

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It was a bitterly cold March day, and the 300 men who were to serve on General Patton's Third Army staff were all standing outside, waiting for him. Suddenly a voice announced, "The Army commander!" and Patton walked out the door of Peover Hall. I had never seen spit and polish like George Smith Patton Jr. He had on gleaming brown leather boots, pink riding breeches, an Eisenhower-type jacket with brass buttons, a necktie, a leather belt with brass buckles on it and he carried a swagger stick and a pistol. He was 6 feet 1, 205 pounds, and he appeared bigger than life to me.

He had a reputation--they called him "Old-Blood-and-Guts"--but we weren't prepared for what he'd be like in person, especially his richly profane vocabulary. He gave us the reasons for fighting those Nazi "sons of bitches." Most people think of George C. Scott's deep voice when they think of Patton, but the general had a high-pitched voice. The dress and the vocabulary were a cover for a genteel man. He was an actor, but he played the role brilliantly. He said, "Men like to fight" and "Remember, there's a short distance between a pat on the back and a kick in the ass. As officers, you want to use them both liberally. I do."

He closed by emphasizing that it takes brains and guts to win wars. "Look to your right. Now look to your left. One of you won't be around at the end of the war." We were just so impressed and in awe. We all thought Patton was looking right at us.

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